I Dreamed a Dream
by fitzybeag
Summary: A modern day Les Misérables set in the town of Lima, Ohio. Follow Will as Valjean, Rachel as Cosette, Shelby as Fantine, Finn as Marius and Santana as Eponine as they struggle for redemption and revolution. Please R
1. Look Down

_Mississippi Prison Farm_

Will felt his muscles heave and clench as he beat the ground with a familiar rhythm. Shovel in. Shovel out. Shovel in. Shovel out. Everyday, nineteen years.

The men on either side of him followed in a similar fashion, their brows coated in sweat and shirts clinging to their backs. On unusually optimistic occasions, Will would close his eyes, imagining for a moment that he was in his own back yard somewhere, happily sprucing up the lawn out of pure pride for his property.

But, of course, things never seemed to work that easily for a man like Will.

He was just another criminal, another number, another lowlife rotten piece of scum in America's prison system.

He leaned against his heavy shovel for a moment, looking up at the cruel sun. Nineteen years in Mississippi Prison Farm. He had seen people come and people go, people killing and people dying. But that damn sun never seemed to change.

"Hey!" a supervising guard yelled out. "Back to work, Schuester."

A fellow inmate nudged him sharply. "Look down, Will!"

Will wasn't in any mood for an argument.

As he picked up his rhythm once more, he heard the soft, sad chuckle from an aging prisoner further down the line.

The man sang as he worked,

"_Look down, look down,  
Don't look 'em in the eye  
Look down, look down,  
You're here until you die."_

Another inmate joined in,

"_The sun is strong,  
It's hot as hell below."_

This time everyone sang,

"_Look down, look down,_

_There's twenty years to go."_

"_I've done no wrong!  
Sweet Jesus, hear my prayer!"_

"_Look down, look down,  
Sweet Jesus doesn't care"_

"_I know she'll wait,  
I know that she'll be true!"_

"_Look down, look down,  
They've all forgotten you." _

"_When I get free ya won't see me  
Here for dust!" _

"_Look down, look down  
Don't look 'em in the eye"_

"_How long, oh Lord  
Before you let me die?" _

"_Look down, look down,  
You'll always be a slave  
Look down, look down,  
You're standing in your grave."_

A tall woman stepped out towards them from the cool shade of the administration building, her face slightly twisted. They recognized her instantly – Sue Sylvester, the Chief Guard.

She flicked her sunglasses up, revealing harsh blue eyes. She looked down at the plain envelope in her hands. "Prisoner 24601?"

Will swallowed and stepped forward.

"You've been acquitted – your parole starts today."

"I'm free?"

She scoffed. "Unfortunately not, Curly Sue. You are on probation, and must report to your designated officer twice monthly."

He felt the heat rushing to his brain. "But I served my time!"

"You have served your time in prison, but you will always be a thief. Is that understood?"

Will resisted the urge to throw down his shovel and run for the hills, but he couldn't hold back the anger in his eyes. "I stole one cell phone!"

Sue stepped up in his face, threatening now. "You mugged a man!"

He lowered his eyes. "My family had no rent money. It was the only way."

"Well, it's about time you learned the way of the law!"

"I think I've learned enough in those nineteen years a slave of the law!"

That twisted smile returned to her tightly pursed lips. "Two years for your crime, and the rest for trying to hop the walls. Only cowards run from their problems, 24601."

"My name is Will Shuester!" he snared through a clenched jaw.

"And I'm Sue Sylvester," she placed one challenging hand on the wooden handle of his shovel, "Do not forget that name, boy. Do not forget this face. Because I have a feeling we'll meet again –" she slid back on her glasses, turning to leave. "– 24601."

* * *

Will stood outside the prison gates, the scents of freedom just out of reach. He longed to reach out and touch it, to follow his nose, to discover a life he never knew. But the weight of the stamp on his papers told him otherwise. That stamp bore with it a hundred curses; no leaving the state of Mississippi; no step in any path without another set of eyes burning into his back; no shaking off the vicious whispers that followed the label, 'criminal.'

With an old pair of shoes on his feet, and an ill-fitting shirt that was too tight at the collar, Will began the long road to an unknown destination. Will Shuester was going to find his way.

"_Freedom is mine. The earth is still.  
I feel the wind. I breathe again.  
And the sky clears  
The world is waking.  
Drink from the pool. How clean the taste.  
Never forget the years, the waste.  
Nor forgive them  
For what they've done.  
They are the guilty - everyone.  
The day begins...  
And now lets see  
What this new world  
Will do for me!"_


	2. I Dreamed a Dream

_Ohio, 8 years later…_

The steel press buzzed with activity, as usual. These days, anyone was glad to be in a job, so machine operators were going double speed, and almost everyone had their heads bent down in concentration, engrossed in the task ahead. It was almost intimidating.

The foreman paced around from station to station with a bite in his step.

A young female worker jerked her head in his direction. "What's Mr Tanaka's problem today? He's fuming!"

The woman beside her threw her eyes to heaven. "I hear he's got an eye for Shelby Corcoran over there. No way he'll get his way with her."

"Shelby better watch out with that creep or she'll find herself out on the streets without a job!"

The younger woman sighed, holding her head in her hands. "Who knows what to think anymore?"

"_At the end of the day you're another day older  
And that's all you can say for the life of the poor  
It's a struggle, it's a war  
And there's nothing that anyone's giving  
One more day standing about, what is it for?  
One day less to be living."_

The heat of the furnaces raged, and Shelby, a pretty young woman with long dark hair and an innocent face, tended to her tasks ahead, avoiding Mr Tanaka's lingering eye. She hated that hungry look about him, and his sly, wandering hands.

"_At the end of the day you're another day colder  
And the shirt on your back doesn't keep out the chill  
And the righteous hurry past  
They don't hear the little ones crying  
And the winter is coming on fast, ready to kill  
One day nearer to dying!"_

The mail room boy hurried through with his trolley, dropping off his messages as he scurried by. He was wise enough to know how not to get in the way. An envelope was thrown onto Shelby workstation, and she groaned immediately, knowing just what it would contain. Just another reminder of how much she needed this damn job.

"_At the end of the day there's another day dawning  
And the sun in the morning is waiting to rise  
Like the waves crash on the sand  
Like a storm that'll break any second  
There's a hunger in the land  
There's a reckoning still to be reckoned and  
There's gonna be hell to pay  
At the end of the day!"_

"What's that you have there, Shelby?" smirked a girl across her workstation. "I hope it's not a love letter?"

Before Shelby could begin to stammer up some sort of excuse, the letter was snatched from her hands.

"_Dear Shelby_," read a worker behind her, holding up the letter just out Shelby's reach, "_We need more money. Your child is very sick and we can't afford to bring her to the hospital…"_

Shelby dived at the taller woman, knocking her to the floor, the contents of the workstation flying in every direction.

"That's none of your business!" she cried, wrestling to grab the piece of paper from the woman's clutches.

At this stage, every worker was on their feet – some cheering and jeering, others just watching awestruck. A tall, curly haired man stepped forward from their midst. He was a little greyer and sharper since he had stepped out of Mississippi Prison Farm eight years ago, but there was no mistaking Will Shuester. Or rather Mr Shue, as he was now known.

"Alright, alright, settle down!" he cried out, "This is a business we're running here! Not a wrestling ring!"

The women pulled apart at the sight of the prestigious owner, and hurriedly smoothed down their hair and clothes.

"Don't worry about it, sir!" Mr Tanaka announced with fake cheer, "Let me take care of this."

Will nodded curtly, and went on his way. He had more important business to attend to.

Mr Tanaka turned back to the disorderly women with that starved look in his eyes again. "Now, who wants to tell me what's going on here?"

The woman, still firmly holding onto Shelby's letter, cleared her throat. "Shelby dived at me, sir, anyone her can vouch. And on top of all that, she's hiding a child! Paying some bartender to look after her, so I think we can all guess what she's moonlighting as…"

The rest of the room exchanged urgent glances.

"The father abandoned us, that doesn't make me a slut!" cried Shelby, rising to her own defense. "The bartender is caring for her until I can provide for her myself!"

"Ah, Shelby Corcoran. What act are you playing now?" Tanaka grinned maliciously, "Whore on the shore, or virgin on the rocks?"

She stared down at the floor, her cheeks burning.

"Pack your things and leave, Ms Corcoran. This isn't a haven for sluts."

His words were met with sniggers and whispers and Shelby had to do her best to settle her breath.

"Y-yes, sir."

With that, she was gone, sprinting through the steel mill with only one thought on her mind – her baby.

* * *

Shelby added another miserable lump to her watery cup of coffee. The rain lashed against the windows of the small café, and she couldn't find the strength inside her to get up and leave. She had been sitting there with the same cup of coffee for three hours, but it wasn't as though she had somewhere better to be. Her landlord would be looking for the rent, and she hadn't a spare dollar to hand over.

Shelby never imagined her life to end up this way. As a young girl, she had so many dreams, so many hopes for the future. But as she soon discovered, her dreams were nothing but teasing images, constant reminders of a life she'd never have.

"_There was a time when men were kind  
When their voices were soft  
And their words inviting  
There was a time when love was blind  
And the world was a song  
And the song was exciting  
There was a time  
Then it all went wrong"_

"_I dreamed a dream in time gone by  
When hope was high  
And life worth living  
I dreamed that love would never die  
I dreamed that God would be forgiving  
Then I was young and unafraid  
And dreams were made and used and wasted  
There was no ransom to be paid  
No song unsung, no wine untasted"_

The waitress tapped her gently on the shoulder. "Sorry, honey. It's closing time."

Shelby stood up from the table, digging deep into her pockets to source her last couple of quarters and laid them down on the table.

Stepping out into the night, Shelby welcomed the rain. It enveloped her, numbed her down. Clothes clinging to her frame and hair drenched onto her face, she set off into the darkness.

"_But the tigers come at night  
With their voices soft as thunder  
As they tear your hope apart  
And they turn your dream to shame"_

"_He slept a summer by my side  
He filled my days with endless wonder  
He took my childhood in his stride  
But he was gone when autumn came"_

"_And still I dream he'll come to me  
That we will live the years together  
But there are dreams that cannot be  
And there are storms we cannot weather"_

"_I had a dream my life would be  
So different from this hell I'm living  
So different now from what it seemed  
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed."_

She had to find a way for her baby girl.

She had to find a way for her little Rachel.


	3. Lovely Ladies

**Hey, hope you're enjoying the story so far (that is, if anyone's actually reading it...). Please get back to me with any sort of feedback - whether you hate it or love it, whether its boring or just plain out-of-character. Thanks, fitzybeag xx**

* * *

The lights flew through the night, passing Shelby in a moment, then continuing on far away. One day she would drive away. Little Rachel in the front seat by her side, music blasting from the stereo. They'd drive the whole way out of town hand-in-hand.

She caught sight of a flash of colour up ahead.

That was strange. She would have thought this part of town would have been deserted at this hour of the night.

"_Lovely ladies  
Waiting for a bite  
Waiting for the customers  
Who only come at night  
Lovely ladies  
Ready for the call  
Standing up or lying down  
Or any way at all  
Bargain prices up against the wall."_

It was a beautiful blond woman – dressed in a barely-there red dress, and high heeled boots that rode up to her thighs.

Instantly embarrassed, Shelby ducked her head as she scurried by. To her luck however, the prostitute was not alone.

"You looking for a lady friend, honey?" the blonde called out.

Shelby shook her head viciously. "N-no! No, thank you."

"Whatever, it was worth a try. I'm April, this here is Holly. Business hasn't been too great tonight," she sighed, lighting up a cigarette.

The taller woman, Holly, stepped forward from the shadows. "That's nice hair you've got. Ever thought of selling it?"  
Despite her circumstances, Shelby almost laughed out loud. "My hair?"

"Yeah," agreed April, running a hand through the long, dark locks. "There's a website that will buy your hair to make extensions and crap. Pretty good prices too."

"I am sorta stuck for cash," Shelby murmured.

To her surprise, Holly pulled out a small pair of scissors from one of her shoes. "I always carry it in case of a hair emergency," she explained.

With that, she sat Shelby down on the curb, and began chopping away. The beautiful hair fell like discarded waste on the dirty pavement.

oOoOo

Will sat back in his office chair, looking up at the ceiling.

He often sat like this on lonely evenings, retracing the steps that brought him to this spot. Some paths were honest, some were not – breaking his parole for one, but in Will's case, there wasn't really a choice.

Emma, his secretary, poked her head in around the door. "I'm heading home now, Mr Shue. Remember you have a meeting at 8.30 tomorrow morning."

He smiled. "Thank you, Emma. Good night now."  
The door closed behind her, and he was left in complete silence once more. Maybe he needed some air.

* * *

A shiny black car slowed down at the curb, and April and Holly instantly played their roles – swaying their bodies slightly, and softly swinging their hair.

The window rolled down and a head extended outside.

He nodded in Shelby's direction, who was sitting against the wall, her newly shed hair held in her hands.

"Shelby's not working, mister. Myself or Holly, however, would be happy to take care of your needs…"

"No. I want her."

"Look, I don't know how many times I can tell you this but –"

He didn't let her finish. Stepping out of the car, he shoved the two women out of the way, his eyes hungry for his prize.

"April, lets get out of here!" Holly yelled, "Come on!"

But Shelby couldn't follow them. She stood powerless as he backed her into the corner, placing one hand at the side of her face. "You can call me Cooper, babe."

He had obviously had too much to drink, and was using Shelby to support most of his own weight.

She shoved against him. "Get off me! Somebody help!"

"Who's gonna help you around here, girl? You're nothing but a filthy prostitute."

* * *

It was near silent as Will made his way through the deserted part of town, apart from the occasional passing car. His nightly strolls rarely brought him away from his large home in the hills, but today he was hardly keeping track.

That's when he heard the scream.

It was a woman, up ahead around the corner.

Rushing forwards, Will found a tall man, a scratch down one side of his face, holding the woman up by the scruff of her collar.

Just to Will's luck, however, a familiar face soon arrived on the scene. Sue Sylvester.

"Alright, alright, what's going on here?" she questioned, looking Shelby up and down.

Cooper pointed to the narrow wound running up his cheek. "Look at this! She was begging for money at the side of the road, and when I refused she attacked!"  
Sue sighed, whipping out her handcuffs. "I'm sorry for your inconvenience, sir. I'll take care of this."

"Hey!" Will stepped forward, his hand on Shelby's shoulder. "This woman isn't a beggar – she's an employee at my steel mill. Look at her ripped clothes and bruises! The man was trying to have his way with her!"

Sue stared at him incredulously for a moment. "Mr Shue, of Shue's Steel Mill?"  
He nodded.

"I see, sir," she said, clearing her throat. "Well, a trial will have to be held, but –"

"Chief Sylvester, what this woman needs is a hospital, not a cell! I'm calling an ambulance."

Sue looked on through narrow eyes as he lifted Shelby over one shoulder and set off towards the hospital. She had seen his face somewhere before. But where?


	4. Stay With Me

The hospital waiting room was far from where Will imagined his Friday night would lead him. Was it a curse that he heard the girl scream out in the night? Sue saw his face, he was sure of it.

"Excuse me, are you the family of Shelby Corcoran?"

He looked up at the young doctor addressing him. "Yes. How is she?"

"The beating she took left few visible marks, apart from the odd scratch of bruise."

Will stood up, grinning. "Well that's great! Is she ready to –"

The doctor placed a hand on his arm. "– There's something else, Mr Shue."

* * *

"How long has she had it?"

Will looked down over Shelby's delicate form in the hospital bed, drips and tubes feeding into her.

The doctor sighed. "Probably for a good few months at this stage. If we had caught it earlier it would be treatable but…"

Will nodded. He understood.

"I'll leave you two alone."

"Thank you."

He sat down on the corner of the bed, wiping Shelby's feverish brow. Her eyes flickered open, but she didn't resist against him. "I'm dying," she whispered through a strained voice. Will nodded, confirming her worst fear.

Suddenly her eyes opened wide. They were weak, and although she had to fight to keep them from drooping shut, Will could see the urgency behind them.

"My baby girl," Shelby murmured.

"Do you have a husband who can care for her? Any other family?"

She shook her head softly.

"What about friends at the Steel Mill?"

The beginning of sad smile touched the corners of her lip. "I was fired today, Mr Shue. Your foreman turned me away."

Will felt his heart sink two stories. He had looked the other way, trusting the foreman's judgment. He had stood by while a poor single mother was stripped of her livelihood. It was his fault she was wandering the streets tonight. It was all his fault. "I'll look after your child as if she were my own."

"The address is in my pocket. Please – go there and take her far away, where she'll be happy." Shelby's voice was soft and raspy, threatening to break at any moment.

"Of course. I'll do anything.

She slipped her small hand into his. "Stay with me, Mr Shue. Until I fall asleep. Tell Rachel that I'll be there for her when I wake up."

With that, her head fell back onto the pillow a little, and Will felt her hand encased in his go limp.

With a final kiss on the cheek, Will turned and fled the hospital, the address buried into the palm of his hand. It was time to make up for the wrongs he committed.

"24601."

A chill ran down his spine. It had been so long since he had heard that number uttered aloud. He turned, slowly, to find Sue leaning against the hospital exit, a pair of handcuffs in her grip.

"Chief Sylvester," he noted through pursed lips.

"You thought I wouldn't recognize you, huh? You have a lot to learn, son."

"Please – there's a motherless child who needs my help. She'll be abandoned if I'm not there for her."

Sue threw her head back in laughter. "Do you have any idea how many of those excuses I hear a day? Make this easy for yourself, 24601. You broke your parole – it's time to head back where you belong."  
With a heavy sigh, Will extended his clenched fist.

Sue readied the handcuffs, but as she reached forward, Will grabbed both her wrists, turning the cuffs on her instead. Sue had forgotten about his strength over the years.

Leaving her stammering and twisting in his wake, Will headed for the darkness of the backstreets.

"Not tonight, chief!"


End file.
